TR6052 - The Translator and Specialisation (2022/23)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2022/23 | ||||||||||
| Module title | The Translator and Specialisation | ||||||||||
| Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2022/23(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
In this module, students are exposed to the specific requirements for the translation of texts belonging to specialist areas (e.g. medicine, law, multimedia areas such as television programmes, video games, comics) and the literary field such as the translation of children literature. Students are introduced to the characteristics of texts from these specialist domains and are familiarised with types, terminology, stylistic features, structure and the possible constraints imposed by the medium. The module therefore focuses on two main domains encompassing specialist areas and fields:
1. Technical/Applied Domains
2. Multimedia/Literary Domains
Prior learning requirements
TR5052
Syllabus
The module is delivered through lectures and seminars (1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar). Some sessions are run by translation practitioners, others by internal members of staff with expertise in the relevant field.
Throughout the course of the module, students are introduced to a wide range of specialist translation domains (e.g. Audiovisual, Medical, Legal, etc). For each domain, students focus on:
1. a strategic text analysis, identifying characteristic terminology, structure and stylistic features of texts from different fields of knowledge, LO 1
2. evaluating the challenges posed on these texts by their typology, medium and terminology while anticipating translation problems and solving these with appropriate translation procedures. LO2 and LO3
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
This is an in-class taught module, with a variety of student and teacher-led activities. Lectures introducing the several specialist areas, source text analysis seminars and text-based exercises anticipating translation problems will be used throughout.
WebLearn is used throughout the module for teaching and learning and the moderated discussion forum tool will enable students to continue topic discussions initiated during seminars/lectures. WebLearn tasks are set for guided independent work on students’ portfolio.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Identify and interpret the characteristic terminology, structure and stylistic features of texts from different fields of specialised knowledge;
2. Analyse what constraints need to be considered in the translation process;
3. Demonstrate the necessary confidence to apply appropriate strategies to solve translation problems specific to specialised texts.
Assessment strategy
Coursework: Portfolio (2000 words).
Students create a portfolio of texts of their choice from 3 different domains covered in the module, in which they analyse and discuss domain-specific characteristics, the main domain-specific problems in the texts and medium constraints (if applicable) and document what resources they would have to research in order to find solutions for these problems.
In one of the texts, they also identify 3 problems (medium-related, style-related, genre-related, terminology and phraseology-related) and discuss the translation strategies and procedures they would apply to solve these problems.
The choice of this assessment method is informed by consideration of the professional practice and the requirements that employers look for when recruiting translators of specialist texts.
Bibliography
Please note, as this module ranges over different specialisations, every tutor will provide bibliographical guidance. The following reading list provides mainly reference readings.
https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/6A9CA59B-73A3-66C8-4145-6BF15B634C2B.html?lang=en-US&login=1